Yankees Confident Bottom of Lineup Will Improve

Early offensive struggles in the lower half of the order are not a major concern for the team.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 2:21am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented baseball game, with sharp planes of navy, white, and gold representing the action on the field.The Yankees' lineup struggles are a mere blip on the radar as the team's dominant pitching staff continues to lead the way.NYC Today

The New York Yankees have gotten off to a strong 7-2 start to the 2026 season, led by a dominant starting rotation. However, the bottom of their lineup has struggled mightily in the early going, hitting just .143 with a .167 slugging percentage and .404 OPS through the first two weeks. Manager Aaron Boone and the team remain confident that players like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Austin Wells, José Caballero, and Ryan McMahon will start producing more at the plate as the season progresses.

Why it matters

The Yankees are expected to be one of the top contenders in the American League this season, so any potential weaknesses in their lineup will be closely monitored. While the early offensive struggles from the bottom of the order are concerning, the team believes these players will turn it around and provide more production as the season goes on.

The details

Through the first nine games, the Yankees' 6-7-8-9 hitters have been the worst in baseball, combining to hit just .143 with a .167 slugging percentage and .404 OPS. This group includes Jazz Chisholm Jr., Austin Wells, José Caballero, and Ryan McMahon. Individually, the sample sizes are small, but collectively they have 143 plate appearances with only 15 singles and 3 doubles. Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the need for more production from the bottom of the lineup, but expressed confidence that these players will start hitting.

  • The Yankees have played their first 9 games of the 2026 season.
  • The team entered Monday's off-day tied for the best record in MLB at 7-2.

The players

Jazz Chisholm Jr.

The Yankees' second baseman, who is coming off an All-Star, 30-30 season in 2025 despite struggling in March and April.

Austin Wells

A top Yankees prospect who has been an elite defensive catcher but a slightly below-average hitter in his first two-plus seasons in the majors.

José Caballero

The Yankees' starting shortstop, who needs to hit better than .206 to keep his job once top prospect Anthony Volpe returns within the next month.

Ryan McMahon

A veteran hitter who has never finished a season with an above-average OPS, and is off to a slow 2-for-23 start with 11 strikeouts, though the team believes his recent swing adjustments will pay off.

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What they’re saying

“'We need to get more production there, and we will.'”

— Aaron Boone, Manager

“'I feel like that could help a lot. Right now, we're just working day to day, getting better every at-bat and hoping to get hot here soon.'”

— Jazz Chisholm Jr.

“'I still think there's a lot more in there offensively, and hopefully, we can keep moving to that point.'”

— Aaron Boone, Manager

“'Been a struggle, a little bit. He's swinging through some pitches I feel like that usually he puts in play.'”

— Aaron Boone, Manager

“'Sometimes, it takes time for things to feel natural, to be able to repeat them without having to overthink it.'”

— Casey Dykes, Assistant Hitting Coach

The takeaway

While the early offensive struggles from the bottom of the Yankees' lineup are concerning, the team remains confident that players like Chisholm, Wells, Caballero, and McMahon will start producing more at the plate as the season progresses. The Yankees' strong start has been fueled by their dominant starting rotation, and they believe the lineup will come around to provide more support.